The Republican I Lori StabileRena Bowden, holds the Boston Post Cane, which was presented to her as the town of Wales' oldest resident at a birthday party held in her honor on Sept. 20, 2012 at the Senior Center. She turned 98. Next to her is her daughter-in-law, Jane Bowden. Standing behind her, from left to right, are state Rep. Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer; Council on Aging President Jerry Bernier and Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre.

WALES - Rena M. Bowden, who recently celebrated her 98th birthday at the Wales Senior Center, said her secret to a long life is a raw onion sandwich.

She said she grew up poor, in Monson, so they made their sandwiches out of raw onions, instead of meat. And she said she still likes them.

Bowden, a spry nonagenarian, was pleased that a party was held on her honor on Sept. 20.

She was presented with the Boston Post Cane, given to the town's oldest resident, by state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, as well as a gold pin from the Council on Aging that is a duplicate of the cane's top.

"Oh my God," Bowden gushed. "I can't thank you enough."

Brewer, who was accompanied by state Rep. Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer, wished her "Stolat" - a Polish saying he said he picked up from Smola which means "if you live 100 years."

"For you Rena, 'stolat' plus 20," Brewer said.

He said that in addition to being Wales' oldest resident, she is also the most loved, which was evident by the crowd gathered to celebrate her birthday. Smola said that with 98 years comes "lots of wisdom" and noted she has lived through such historic moments as world wars, and the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

A bundle of birthday cards from the elementary school students also were given to Bowden.

"This is wonderful. This is beyond words," Bowden said after the short ceremony, which featured chocolate birthday cake - she is a big fan of chocolate. "For a person who's lived this long . . . and the people that care for you, to go all out and do this, it takes a lot of work and time."

She said she moved to Wales in 1945. One of her favorite past times has been traveling. She's been to Scotland five times, London, Arizona, New Mexico, Canada and St. Croix, where she went snorkeling for the first time when she was in her late 80s. She said the experience was great and she saw lots of fish.

London was her favorite place to visit. She enjoyed the wax museum, and seeing replicas of stars like Marilyn Monroe.

Bowden worked various jobs over the years, including her first job in a laundry where she made 45 cents an hour and later at a woolen mill in Stafford, Conn.

She also went for her first motorcycle ride at 88. Senior Center Director Judy

Jegelewicz's husband Kevin Jegelewicz took her on his Honda. Bowden rode in the sidecart.

"I said, 'Let's go' and off we went,'" Bowden recalled. "We went eight or 10 miles."

"It was on her bucket list," Kevin Jegelewicz said. "We make things happen. We went around town and I honked the horn so everyone could see her."

Bowden was with her son Michael and his wife, Jane. Michael described his mother as a "tough bird."

The cane will be kept at the Town Hall for safekeeping, according to Council on Aging President Jerry Bernier.